


This is our place, we make the rules

by apolloxbvcky



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aged-Up Characters, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Dad Sokka is precious, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Izumi Senna and Varrick are Zukka's kids, M/M, POV Sokka (Avatar), Title from a Taylor Swift Song, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:47:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29165199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apolloxbvcky/pseuds/apolloxbvcky
Summary: Sokka is woken up by a little hand slapping his cheek. He scrunches his nose and eyes at the feeling, and turns in the bed, pulling the covers up against his chin. The little hand slaps the back of his neck, now.“Daddy!” a squeaky voice, presumably belonging to the little hand, speaks up. “Come on, wake up!”
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 143





	This is our place, we make the rules

**Author's Note:**

> so the thing is. Varrick is technically not varrick's name. His first name is Iknik, so obviously that's what his dads call him. 
> 
> In my head and this specific fic, I decided Varrick is a fake last name he used to go to University in Ba Sing Se without anyone knowing he was the Fire Lord's kid, and it just stuck around. 
> 
> so yeah. enjoy!

Sokka is woken up by a little hand slapping his cheek. He scrunches his nose and eyes at the feeling, and turns in the bed, pulling the covers up against his chin. The little hand slaps the back of his neck, now. 

“Daddy!” a squeaky voice, presumably belonging to the little hand, speaks up. “Come on, wake up!” 

Zuko groans beside him, snuggling closer to his body, hiding his face on Sokka’s hair. “He’s awake.” he whispers. 

“I can hear that.” Sokka whispers back. 

“Daddy!” the voice repeats, and Sokka feels the weight of the small body climbing up the bed, and sitting on top of his legs. Opening one eye, he looks down to find his son frowning at him, his short arms crossed on his chest, his eyebrows frowned, and his lips in a pout. He’s still wearing his pajamas, and his curly hair – long to his chin; is sticking in a thousand different directions, so Sokka can only guess the five-year-old has woken up before their governess has gone to wake him and his sister up, and has immediately walked to their room. 

“Good morning to you too, Iknik.” he says, as he sits up only to take the kid in his arms and drag him between his and his husband’s bodies. “And what are you doing awake so early?” he asks, supporting his head on his hand, elbow supporting his weight; and looking down at his son, who is currently placing a kiss on Zuko’s cheek.

“Senna was snoring. She woke me up.” he says, making Zuko chuckle. 

“Don’t laugh, that’s your daughter he’s talking about!” Sokka complains, shoving Zuko, who chuckles again. He rolls his eyes. “Anyway…” he looks back down to Iknik, who is raising one of his hands to grab at his dangling braid, the one on the left side of his face, adorned with the blue beads. “Other than your snoring sister, did you sleep good?” 

Iknik nods. “I had a dream we went to the South Pole. We were all there. Auntie Katara, and Aang, and Toph, and Mai, and Ty Lee, and Suki, and Bumi, and Kya, and Tenzin, and Lin, and ‘Zumi, and Senna, and Daddy, and Papa, and Grandpa Hakoda and…”

“Iknik, baby.” Zuko interrupts him. “We get it. We were all there.” Iknik nods, convinced.

“And Aang and ‘Zumi were firebending and they melted the floor! And Papa fell through the hole and Daddy took him out and he was very cold and we all had to bring a lot of blankets from Grandpa Hakoda’s house and tuck him in like Daddy does when I go to sleep.” 

“Really?” Sokka asks, laughing at how Zuko looks down at their son with a concerned look. “Did Papa die?” 

Iknik looks at him, gasping, like he can’t believe his own father would even suggest that. “No! ‘Zumi, Senna and I gave him a hug and he got better.” he says, then blows a raspberry his way. 

Zuko, smiling, leans down to press a kiss to his son’s forehead. “Thanks, Iknik. I knew I could always trust you guys.”

“You’re welcome, Papa. Can we go have breakfast now?”

Sokka pokes him in the side, making the kid look up at him again. “Let’s wait for your sisters, okay?” 

Iknik lets out a long, dramatic sigh. “Fine, we’ll wait.” he says, crossing his arms on his chest and pouting again. 

“He gets the dramatism from your side of the family, you know that, right?” Sokka says, looking at Zuko. 

“Excuse me?” his husband replies, raising his eyebrow.

“I mean, only one of our mothers was an actress, and it was definitely not mine.” Iknik gasps, sitting up to look at Zuko. 

“Mama Ursa was an actress?” he asks. Zuko smiles, sitting too, and places Iknik on his lap, looking down at the kid. 

“Sure was. Do you want to hear the story?” Iknik nods eagerly, making Zuko chuckle before he starts recalling the story of how his mother went into the theater business. 

Iknik listens to his father’s story while looking up at him and cutting in every so often to ask questions. Sokka, his head still resting on his hand, looks up at his husband and kid. 

Zuko looks beautiful with that smile on his lips, the one he reserves for family moments like this one, in the intimacy of their private chambers; and his long hair – that reaches the middle of his back now; messed up by the silky pillows. He’s decided he wants to try to grow a beard, and even though it’s not really long at this point, it’s been enough to drive Sokka wild. The way the dark hair highlights the color of his skin, and the shape of his cheekbones and lips, sometimes make it too hard for Sokka to not jump his husband in the middle of their meetings. 

And there’s nothing that Sokka likes more than seeing him with their kids. He thinks about the moment Izumi arrived, almost fifteen years ago, how nervous Zuko and him had been waiting, pacing outside the room where Mai was giving birth to her until Katara walked out with the tiny baby in her arms and tears in her eyes. How Zuko had choked upon seeing their daughter, how he had broken into tears when Sokka had first held him. 

How helpless they had been the first few nights, and how thankful they were for Katara and Aang sticking around for a few months, since they already had Bumi and knew a little better how everything went. He remembers the thrill of seeing their baby grow up, seeing her take her first steps, say her first word, and all the milestones they had gone through with her. 

And how when Zuko suggested having another baby, a few months after Izumi had turned nine, and Sokka almost cried at the possibility of doing it all over again. 

He had always wanted a big family, back then. He knew, with their position as Fire Lord and consort, they couldn’t without having to rely on others, since most of their days went by inside the meeting room. So they talked it out, and much to his dismay – and he knew Zuko’s too – this would be their last baby. 

But then two came, a boy and a girl, and Sokka thanked the Spirits for the gifts, for making his wish come true even after he had already given up on it. And they got to do it all over again, times two. 

And the thing they had been more scared about, Izumi thinking she would have been replaced, or set aside somehow, had never happened. Izumi had been as excited about her siblings as they had, and she was more than helpful – she was ten years older than them, and even if she couldn’t take care of them all the time, she loved to watch them when she could, and take them on walks through the private gardens on the palace. 

By the time Zuko finishes telling Iknik his story, Sokka’s eyes are watering. The kid turns to look at him when he hears him sniffing, and tilting his head, he crawls out of his father’s lap to sit in front of him and places his little hand on Sokka’s shoulders. 

“Daddy? You okay?” he asks. Sokka smiles, nodding before he sits up, leaning in to press his forehead against his son’s.

“Yes, baby. I’m okay.” 

“But you’re crying.” the kid disagrees.

“Happy tears. Because I love you and Papa too much.” he presses a kiss to his forehead, and then takes him in his arms, blowing raspberries in his cheek. “I have an idea. Let’s go look for Senna and ‘Zumi, and we can all have breakfast together in the garden. You up for it, big guy?” he asks his husband. Zuko smiles, nodding. 

“I think that’s a fantastic idea, love. I’ll go wake the girls while you change clothes.” 

“Okay.” Zuko gets off the bed, walking through the wooden floor towards the door. “Oh, and Zuko?” he calls for his husband, who turns to look at him. “Tell Ysiru to take the day off. Family day is long overdue, don’t you think?” 

Zuko smiles, sighing. “We have meetings, love.” 

Sokka hums, then looks down at Iknik, who is smiling up at him, hopeful. “It’s just the one. I can go and you stay with the kids, I’ll tell them you were feeling sick. No one will know.”

“Fine. But next time we’ll schedule it. No impromptu family days.” Iknik cheers, throwing his little hands up in the air. Sokka ruffles his curly hair, laughing.

“Great. I love you, Zu.” he says to his husband, who shakes his head and walks out.

  
  


Once Sokka has changed clothes, he walks to the twins’ bedroom, running into a sleepy Izumi on the way, who smiles at him, pressing a good morning kiss to his cheek. She has changed out of her pajamas and brushed her hair, but has let it down, instead of going for the usual top knot and the golden hair piece she always wears. And she’s wearing blue, today.

“Feeling Water Tribe-y today?” Sokka teases with a wink. Izumi rolls her eyes.

“You always say I’m as Water Tribe as any of you, no?” 

“By Yue you are.” he replies, pressing a kiss to her hair. She smiles. 

With Iknik on his hip and the teenager by his side, they walk inside the bedroom. Iknik immediately tries to jump off his father’s arms, so he puts him down and looks at Zuko, who sits on Senna’s bed, still trying to coax her out of bed.

“Izumi, can you dress your brother?” 

“Sure.” she says, grabbing Iknik by his hand and taking him to the wardrobe.

Sokka walks towards his husband and youngest daughter, and hears Zuko whispering to the girl. “Come on, Senna. It’s family day. Let’s get out of bed.”

“Too soon.” Senna says, her little fist putting the covers above her head. 

Sokka chuckles. “Princess Senna, this is no behavior for the future ruler of a kingdom.” He hears her blow a raspberry, and laughs, poking her side with his finger. “Come on, baby. Your siblings are already up.” 

“I don’t care.” Senna sighs.

“We’re going to have breakfast in the garden.” Zuko pitches in. 

“I don’t care!” She says again. Sokka sighs.

“Fine, then there’s nothing we can do, love.” he says, winking at his husband. “Except, maybe…” 

Quickly and with one movement, he pulls the covers off Senna, and starts tickling her. The girl starts laughing and squirming under his fingers. 

“Papa! Papa! Help me!” she yells, throwing her arms at her father. Zuko laughs as he picks her up, standing up and away from Sokka. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart, I have you now. Your mean Daddy will not hurt you anymore.” 

“Thanks.” she says, placing her arms around Zuko’s neck and kissing his cheek. He runs a hand through her hair, placing it out of her face, before he kisses her nose. “I want to wear a braid today.” she informs them.

“Oh, really?” Sokka raises his eyebrows. Senna nods. “You know Papa doesn’t know how to braid hair, right?” The little kid frowns at her father, who shrugs. “Guess you will have to run around without your braid, since Daddy is  _ so _ mean…”

“Daddy! Daddy!” Iknik’s voice comes from the other side of the room. He’s wearing blue, like Izumi, and his hair is still messy, but Izumi comes behind him with a brush. “We match!” he says, pointing at both him and his sister with each hand. 

“We do, buddy.” Sokka says, placing a hand out for him to high five. 

“Iknik, I have to brush your hair.” Izumi groans. 

“No!” the boy says, running towards Zuko, hiding behind his legs. Izumi rolls her eyes. 

“‘Zumi, it’s okay.” Zuko says. “Why don’t you hold Senna while I go change and Daddy takes care of Iknik?” 

The teenager nods, taking her sister in her arms, allowing their father to leave the room. 

“Can you braid my hair?” Senna asks, pressing both her hands against her older sister’s cheek. Izumi frowns.

“Sure?” she answers. “Don’t you want Daddy to do it, though? His braids are prettier.” 

“No! He was mean today.” 

Izumi looks at Sokka, who shrugs. He’s sitting on the floor, Iknik in front of him as he runs the brush through his curls. The teenager laughs, shaking her head. 

“Okay. I will braid your hair, Senna. Hey, Daddy. Since we’re all going Water Tribe-y today, you should put Iknik’s hair up.” 

“Yes! I want a wolf tail like you!” Iknik exclaims, pointing at Sokka’s hair. He smiles. 

“Okay, buddy. We’ll do that.” 

“I want to go Water Tribe-y too.” Senna demands. Izumi looks at her and nods. 

“Let’s go find your blue dress.” she says, and walks them both to the wardrobe, while Sokka stays sitting on the floor with Iknik, trying to keep him sitting long enough to put all his hair up. 

When Zuko comes back, and Sokka notices he’s wearing blue too, he can’t help but smile. He reaches his hand up, and Zuko quickly takes it to squeeze it.

“You always look good in that color.” Sokka says, earning himself a wink from his husband.

“We’re ready!” Izumi says, coming back with a Senna clad in blue and her hair up in a braid. 

“So are we.” Sokka answers, patting Iknik’s little shoulder now that he finally has his wolftail on. 

“‘Zumi.” Zuko says, and the girl looks at him. “Which garden do you want us to have breakfast in?” 

“Uh…” Senna whispers something in her ear, and Izumi smiles. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Can we picnic by the turtleduck pond?” 

“Of course we can, sweetheart.” Sokka says, picking Iknik up from the floor. “Let’s go.” 

They leave their private chambers and make their way towards the garden where the pond is at, stopping the first servant they run into to ask them to bring their breakfast there. Once they sit by the pond, the twins quickly make their way towards it, wanting to say hello to the animals. They sit by the biggest tree, Izumi by their side, but she too soon leaves them – when Mai walks by the garden with Ty Lee and Suki – in order to talk to her mother. 

“Hey.” Sokka says once they’re alone, nudging Zuko’s leg with his own. “You didn’t kiss me good morning today.” 

Zuko snorts. “True. Sorry for that.” he says, leaning in to press their lips together. 

Sokka kisses back, and they keep moving their lips for a while, until they’re interrupted right when Sokka is about to place his hand on Zuko’s cheek. 

“Oogie!” Iknik says, making his fathers break apart and look at him. Senna is right beside him, and they both have a disgusted expression on their face. Sokka laughs.

“You know what?” Zuko says. “They get that from  _ your _ side of the family.” 

Sokka shoves at him. “Fuck off.” 

Senna and Iknik, almost at the same time, gasp. “Daddy said a bad word!” Senna says. 

Sokka takes her by the arm, pulling her softly towards him, and peppering her face with kisses. “You just don’t say it, okay?” 

“Oogie, Daddy! Let me go!” 

“No. Never, you’re my princess, you’re stuck with me!” The kid groans, trying to break away. Iknik, on his hand, walks towards Zuko’s lap, sitting there as he watches his sister and father struggle.

After a while, he lets go of Senna, who huffs and sits on his lap, mimicking his twin. Sokka looks at the girl, who crosses her arms on her chest and looks away with her tiny frown; then at Zuko and Iknik, who play what seems to be a complicated hand game if the confusion on Zuko’s face is anything to go by; and finally, at Izumi, who was excitedly talking to her mother and aunts about something, and he sighs contently. 

Moving so he’s closer to Zuko, dragging Senna with him, he places his head on his husband’s shoulder, and is received with a kiss on the forehead. He closes his eyes, and listens to Iknik explain Senna the game he just made up with their father. 

“You okay?” Zuko asks. 

“I couldn’t be better.” Sokka answers.

He’s happy, and he knows it can’t get better than this, no matter if his son is a savage who wakes him up before the sun has come out, or if his daughter won’t let him hug her for the rest of the day. 

This; them, Izumi and the twins, but also Mai, Ty Lee, Suki, Katara, Aang, Toph; this is their family, the one they’ve been now spent decades creating, and he would not change that for anything in the world. 

**Author's Note:**

> dad sokka is something that can be so personal <3
> 
> if you like my work and would like to support me, you can [buy me a coffee](https://ko-fi.com/marvelousmers)
> 
> or you can come yell at me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/redpaladinzuko) or [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/stuckylovers)


End file.
